NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Warner Jones had a career-high four
hits and two RBI, Tony Mansolino added three hits and
three RBI and pitcher Robert Ransom (4-3) struck out
a career-high eight batters as Vanderbilt defeated Tennessee
9-1, Saturday, May 17 at Hawkins Field.

The victory ties the Commodores (26-26, 13-16 Southeastern
Conference) with Tennessee (31-23, 13-16 SEC) for third
place in the SEC Eastern Division. Florida (34-18-1,
13-15-1 SEC) topped Kentucky, 13-4 to move into second
place in the division, a half game ahead of Vanderbilt
and Tennessee.

A sellout crowd of 1,623 saw the Commodores collect
14 hits to assure their first series win over Tennessee
since 1999. The victory was the Commodores ninth in
their last 11 home SEC games.

The Commodores broke open a scoreless game with four
runs in the bottom of the third. John Kaye's bases-loaded
sacrifice fly brought in Matt Zeller from third base.
After Cesar Nicolas followed with a walk to reload the
bases, Mansolino hit a two-run single to right that
plated Zach Simpson and Ryan Klosterman. Jones hit a
sacrifice fly to right center to bring in Nicolas and
give Vanderbilt a 4-0 advantage.

Tennessee answered with its only run of the game in
the fourth. Walter Sevilla hit his third home run of
the year, a solo shot that cleared the wall in left
center field.

Vanderbilt scored three times in the seventh to build
a 7-1 lead. Klosterman reached on an infield bunt and
took second on a wild throw to first by pitcher Derek
Tharpe (6-6). One-out later, Nicolas and Mansolino drew
back-to-back walks to load the bases and chase Tharpe
from the game. Jones followed with a RBI single to left
off UT reliever Casey Eisemann to plate Klosterman.
With two outs, Douillard singled through the middle
of the infield to bring in Nicolas and Mansolino and
give VU a six-run cushion.

The Commodores added two more runs in the eighth on
a RBI double by Nicolas and a RBI single by Jones to
take a 9-1 lead.

Ransom pitched eight and a third innings, allowing
eight hits, one run (earned) and three walks to go along
with his career-high eight punchouts. He gave up a single
and a walk to start the game but pitched out of the
jam by coaxing two strikeouts and a ground out back
to the mound. He retired seven of the next eight batters
he faced before Sevilla hit his solo home run.

Matt Buschmann retired both batters he faced in the
ninth to end the game.

Tharpe allowed nine hits and seven runs (all earned)
with three walks and six strikeouts in six and a third
innings. Eisemann gave up five hits and two runs (both
earned) to go along with a walk and three strikeouts
in an inning and two thirds.